a. The Field of the Invention
This invention is concerned with the art of providing mechanical means such as used by physiotherapists in exercising of patients and disabled persons, more particularly with devices of the kind comprising a frame assembly forming a stand to support a bicycle saddle type seat, rotatable crank and pedal means positioned for being engaged and acted upon by the feet of the person accomodated on said saddle seat, and handle bar means consisting of upper crank and handle means positioned for being engaged and acted upon by the hands of same person, who therefore can perform coordinated rotary and alternated motions with his four limbs for nearly entirely exercising his body.
Such exercizing can be either of active or passive nature. Active exercising is that in which the patient exerts a more or less relevant muscular fatigue in rotating said crank pedals and crank handles against a resistance provided by a suitable braking systems, while passive exercising is that in which the motion of the patient's limbs is promoted or facilitated by rotatively connecting a source of power, such as an electric motor, to said crank pedals and handles so that the limbs of a disabled person are compelled to follow the motions thereof to recover movements coordination for example.
B. The Prior Art
Several exercising apparatuses for producing indoors the movements of cycling have been heretofore proposed, manufactured and widely made use of. A type of such apparatuses has been described in a British Patent. A number of custom-built devices have been designed and constructed to meet specific patients' requirements. Other very complicated and costly devices, which are not generally commercialized, have been constructed and in use in certain orthopaedy and physiotherapy hospitals and clinics.
The heretofore proposed apparatuses are usually suited for the performance of physiological exercises of a given character, and their most severe limitation consists in their poor flexibility, in particular with relation to the adjustment of the device either to different patients and to different positions and body attitude in the exercise. Therefore, the availability of a relatively simple, light weight and portable apparatus, adapted for either home use and general physicians studies, which might be readily adjusted to meet the most various requirements of active and passive exercising of patients of the most varying height and build, the exercising requiring also the most variable attitudes, such as spine bending, is currently considered a long felt want in the art.
It is therefore object of this invention to provide a new and improved apparatus which meets the above and other requirements.